Wednesday, November 16, 2011

How Long Have You Had That?

Hey Divas! Wondering what the shelf life is for all of that makeup in your junk drawer? We all know that you have a pile of makeup in your junk drawer that you will get to "one day". In other words - you will never use it, maybe because you don't know how or the makeup consultant "forced" you into buying it and you're too embarrassed to return it.

In case you didn't know, beauty products do have a shelf life, however, chances are the makeup you were compelled to buy years ago has long expired, Honey. Here's a quick guide on the shelf lives of typical beauty products, listed in alphabetical order [something like that]. Please keep in mind that these are estimates, no matter what your know-it-all girlfriend will tell you, it's unlikely you'll go blind from using that 2 year old mascara.

Brushes - Wash every 2-3 months in a mild detergent or Tea Tree Shampoo.
(Sponges Wash weekly and discard monthly.)

Concealer - Up to 12 months.

Cream & gel cleansers - 1 year.

Eyeshadow - Will last up to 3 years. Tip From Kisses: A dark eyeshadow can be used as eyeliner [or a brow filler]. I swear by it. All you need is a super-flat eyeliner brush for this: Get the brush a little damp and dab in dark eyeshadow (black, brown or deep jewel-tones work great). Wiggle the brush into your lash line focusing on the space between your lashes, then sweep the color just above your lash line. For the brows, grab an angled definer brush, brown eyeshadow and start filling.

Pencil Eye Liner - Should be sharpened after each use. It can last up to 3 years.

Lip Liner - Up to 3 years. Tip From Kisses: Skip the push-up lip liners. They're expensive, tend to break and you never really know how much you have left until you run out – which really sucks, especially when you’re putting it on in the car on your way to a date. Oh, that’s never happened to you before? Either way, there’s no need to spend money on push-up lip liners, stick with the pencil.

Foundation - ABC[YI] - Always Be Checking Your Ingredients. Yes, I made that up. Anyway, a water-based foundation will last up to 12 months, oil-based will last up to 18 months. You may find you need two different shades of foundation each year: One for summer when your skin is naturally darker and one for winter when you're lighter. Tip From Kisses: If your water-based foundation dries out before it's expiration date, simply add a few drops of alcohol-free toner and shake it like a polaroid picture. No need to add anything to oil-based foundations since they contain oil - they will tend to separate. Just like my favorite jar of Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter - "oil separation is natural, just stir and refrigerate." UGH, I really hate when that happens but a nice shake and stir gets everything right back in place.

Powder - 2 years.

Lipstick - Some experts say 1-2 years. Others say up to 4 years. What everyone agrees on is that if it smells sour, just throw it out, it's spoiled. Tip From Kisses: If you store lipstick in the refrigerator, it will last longer – just like everything else.

Mascara - Using 2 year old mascara will cause blindness. Juuuust kidding. This product expires the fastest though. Throw it out after 4 months. Tip From From Kisses: Be easy on the pumping. There's really no point in doing that in the first place. Everything you need is on the wand as soon as you take it out. Pumping in and out causes the mascara to dry quicker and forces bateria into the wand. Swirl the brush as you pull it out. If it starts to get cakey, try dipping the tube in boiling water for about 15 seconds. It will make the makeup gooey again and may even kill some bacteria.

Nail Polish - Up to 12 months, depending on the quality and how many times you take it on a plane (we all know the cap always unscrews on a flight. Don't believe me? Try putting it in your purse they next time you fly. You'll have a purse full of a fumey mess!).

Rule of thumb, if it looks like this:


TOSS IT! Really, how long have I had this?

Okay, so I was doing a little seasonal cleaning. I found a container full of nail polish I hardly ever used. I decided to go through it after catching up on Monday night's episode of Gossip Girl.

The rule of thumb for everything during major cleaning – when in doubt...chile, just throw it out! Besides, there's always the "next best thing" out there ready for your purchase.

Until next time, happy tossing!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Elements of Success!

Success is an inside job.
"Being relaxed, at peace with yourself, confident, emotionally neutral, loose, and free-floating - these are the keys to successful performance in almost everything you do." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

The Elements of Fashion Photo Shoot Party in collaboration with HGreaves Photography Bodies of the Year Calendar Launch was a HUGE success! The high energy kept everyone going and Jerel "Goofy Jokes" Ledger kept everyone laughing. DJ KracBaby did his thing on the 1's and 2's while everyone danced to the beat of their own drum.

Here are some sneak pics of the models Mickayla Johnson and Thida Penn in action:

The amazing model that twists and bends himself to make things work: Terrell Wright and the lovely Mickayla Johnson in action.

Here are some pics of me working in the process:


The Clarke Sisters [myself and my big sisters]. We had to show our love for the camera too!

Special thanks to all of the designers that contributed their pieces in the event. Thanks to all of the vendors that came out and thanks to you who made your presence known. This event would NOT have been as successful as it was without you. If you missed us this year, no worries, we're not going anywhere. :)

Stay tuned for more details on Elements of Fashion Part 2! Next year, same time, same place. Follow The Ladies of Sweet Chic Meet on Twitter for more details to upcoming events with our amazing affiliates!

Talents on Display:

Details - For creative and unique event planning!
Girl About Town - Fashion-forward, trendy styling and she's a seamstress!
MyChoKolateKisses - For unique makeup for any special occassion. Your face, my canvas!
Legacy Apparel - For beautiful gowns with a touch of class!
Lipstick Killers - For everyday wear fashion clothing for BBW!
Ben Almonor's Designs - For unique clothing for the curvaceous woman!
Hgreaves Photography - For high energy photos. Click. Flash. Pose.
Unforgettable Occasions by Design - For exotic fashion jewelry!
Leveled Living - Great tips for living healthy from the inside out!
Sweet Love Affair - For delectable cupcakes made with LOVE. You'll be sure to fall in love with these sweet treats!
Jerel "Goofy Jokes" Ledger - He will make your stomach hurt!
Sushi King Clothing, Inc. - For unique fashion jewelry created by hand.
MyMeApparel - For ready to wear fashion.
Alec Roeser - For music for the soul.
Hair 2 Please - For unique hairstyles.
Tightworks - For on-the-go hair & makeup at any event.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Halloween: Same Wings, Different Concept

I always have a hard time letting things rest...so I decided to wear my wings for the THIRD time for Halloween LOL. I mean, I never celebrated Halloween to begin with and buying something every year for just one day doesnt sit well with me. Anyway, I decided that I would be a Dark Fairy, meets the Black Swan. I don't recall the Black Swan having wings so I incorporated my theme from last year, the Dark Fairy.

This was my first attempt to create this look. I rarely get the chance to create a dramatic look. I tried to create a pale look, but not a completely flushed look like the image for the movie


Here I am with my wings and the other Dangerous Divas for the night.


Here I am mean-mugging. Hey, I had to play the part.


This was a lot of fun and I look forward to wearing my wings again next year LOL! Okay, maybe not.

Elements of Fashion Photo Shoot Party

The Ladies of Sweet Chic Meet have done it again!

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Need photos? Want to take some pics in a high energy environment? Come dressed to kill and take some photos while expressing your fashion point of view.

This will be the hottest event for the end of the 2011!


On display:

HGreaves Photography
Fashion Jewelry by JGrae Designs
Sweet Delectable Sweets by Sweet Love Affair
Leveled Living by HoneyJune
MyChokolateKisses Makeup Artistry and Cosmetics
Girl About Town Wardrobe Styling
Hair 2 Please
Tightworks Hair and Makeup
Event Planning by Details

Featuring some of Atlanta’s HOTTEST Designers:

Sushi King Clothing
Ben Almonor’s Designs
MyMeApparel
Lipstick Killers
Hope Knowles

See YOU there!